All The Times They Met Before
by witchyred
Summary: My own little take on some of the times The Goblin King and Sarah met before she wished Toby away...
1. Faeries & Babes

Disclaimer: Not mine. Belongs to other immensely talented people. But I did borrow it to play.

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**Faeries & Babes.**

The faeries used to leave the Underground to visit Above whenever a baby was born. They came and sprinkled magic upon them. Of course, children are already born with a weak magic of their own, but the faeries ministrations helped the Goblin King's Labyrinth to flourish. All of the magic of young children and their dreams and imaginings fed the Labyrinth... kept it fortified and going strong. So the faeries job was an important one. Especially since a child's magic only lasted for so long, before it slowly faded away.

Whenever they encountered a special baby, that is, to say, a baby born with stronger than normal magical abilities, they informed the Goblin King immediately. Sometimes these children were important, and sometimes they had to be brought to the Underground. Whenever a child had to be stolen away, Jareth, the Goblin King, made sure a loving and deserving Fae couple adopted these children. They never wanted for anything, and to ease the human parent's anguish, Jareth would usually try to award them somehow, a sudden rush of good luck, another child, somehow, he tried to make up for his monstrous behaviour.

He had done this for a very long time.

When Sarah Williams came into the world, the faeries had been working diligently that night. She had been one of about a dozen or so babes born into the Above and they had been busy! A young faerie, new to the job, was the one who came upon Sarah in the nursery. She hovered over her, testing the air and sensing Sarah had some unusual qualities about her. As she gave her the usual dosage of magic, Sarah suddenly opened her eyes... and the faerie was sure, so sure that Sarah had seen her. Which wasn't exactly unusual, per se... most children could not really see anything Fae, but could imagine it into being. They couldn't quite catch onto the glimmers of magic, but could sense them. But this faerie was certain that the babe had **_looked_** right at her. And normally, babies did not see such things until they were a bit older.

Her suspicions were only further confirmed when Sarah waved her tiny fists towards her... the faerie was mesmerized by the wee little hand opening towards her, grabbing, and she barely missed being caught up in Sarah's grasp. As the faerie darted off, back to the Underground and to report to the Goblin King, she swore she saw the babe frown. And she wondered... wondered what this all meant, exactly.

When Jareth went to see the babe, he was struck by her power. She was special, indeed. He could not foretell though, just how her powers would manifest. So he could not do anything with her, save for leave her where she was and watch over her from afar. He stroked the smooth cheek and smiled at her. She would be a beauty one day. And he felt that he would have many more interactions with this curious creature.

And as he poofed away from her in a cloud of glitter, he swore he heard the babe laugh.


	2. Toddlers that know how to call Kings

**Toddlers that know how to call Kings.**

Sarah was a big girl now. She was exactly 3 1/2 years old, and understood lots of things. She could not, however, understand how she was supposed to play nice with her little cousin Meghan, who was a bratty baby! Meghan was almost 2, and couldn't do as many things as Sarah could. She also couldn't listen when Sarah told her to not touch her dollies. Or her beloved Lancelot. Or to not grab at the new puppy's fur, although Merlin, the traitor, didn't seem to mind. Meghan and her family were staying with Sarah and hers for a few weeks and she was very tired of having to deal with all of the messes that Meghan caused for her. She didn't care that they lived all the way far away in Ireland. They could just go right back as far as she was concerned!

And that is when she got a wicked lovely idea...

Her Mommy had recently read to her a wonderful new story; The Labyrinth. Mommy always had the best stories and could really bring the people inside them to life. Also, Mommy said that if you could believe enough, magical things could happen. Well, Sarah knew that Meghan was a brat who deserved to be turned into a stinky old goblin! And, she knew that the Goblin King would be more than happy to come here and grab up a new little goblin, so she would call him and have him remove her problem immediately!

She stumbled over the words a bit, not quite certain if she was saying them exactly right or not. But suddenly, there was an explosion of glitter! And there he stood, in all of his regal glory, Jareth, King of the Goblins! Sarah was mesmerized by the sight of him. His wild hair, so blonde it was practically white, stood out in crazy angles like a halo around his head, his eyes, one brightest blue and the other, deepest brown, looked at her in shock, but still, he stood tall in his black armour and swirling cape and looked for all the world as imposing as anything Sarah had seen in her short lifetime.

But... she was unafraid of this imposing man. This Goblin King.

He arched a brow at her... he remembered the babe, how she had grown! He would occasionally check in on her, ensuring all was alright. He knew her Mother had a copy of his book. It had resided in her family for years, he wasn't certain, but years and years ago there must have been a little Fae in their bloodlines. It seemed like when Sarah had been born, it had all settled into her. She was holding her ground, admirably. So he asked her if she was indeed the one who had called him.

His voice was like bells, Sarah decided. Pretty for a boy, but somehow it suited him just right. She nodded her head at his question. "Yes. I called you. Meghan isn't being a good girl, so you should take her far far away and just keep her!" He chuckled. Her little voice was sure and strong, and she seemed to think what she was doing was for the best. Meghan, it seemed, had not really noticed him. She was draped atop the fluffy sheepdog pup, chewing contentedly on the little foot of a rag-doll. Jareth went to her, and, picking her up, removed the doll from her mouth and handed her another small doll that looked suspiciously like a goblin. She smiled and clapped her hands gleefully. He sent her off, whispering for her to find her Mommy and go see her, watching as she toddled out of the playroom. He turned to see Sarah, the tiny precious thing, looking aghast.

"I called you to take her far far away! Instead you gives her toys? That's not fair!" she accompanied this announcement with a stomp of her little foot. Jareth only smiled at her little outburst. He conjured up a chair and sat rather regally in it. "Sarah. Little precious Princess, come here." He held out his arms and only had to wait but a moment before she came willingly. He scooped her up and settled her into his lap. She looked up at him, still wearing a small frown and he laughed, gently, he rubbed a finger across her brow, attempting to smooth out that frown. After a few passes of his finger, the girl giggled and swatted at his hand. "No fair King o' de Goblins! You gotta take her away now!" Jareth began to hum a tune as he rocked the girl, waiting for her to calm some more.

Finally, when he felt she was ready, he explained that only adults could wish away children, and that they then had 13 hours to run his special Labyrinth in order to get the wished-away child back if they truly wanted to. Children could not, under any circumstances, wish each other away. It just was not done.

When Sarah once more informed him it was not fair, he only chuckled at her and told her to imagine how crowded the Underground would be with all of those children that other children had wished away. How many goblins he would have running around the place! "No, Sarah-Precious. You can't wish away your cousin Meghan. However, that doll I gave her? It will keep her more amused than playing with your toys, so let her have it. She will not touch your things again, so your dollies are safe. Have patience, my darling child. She will one day no longer be so annoying as you think she is and will be a good friend. Now here, have a snack and think no more of wishing her away." He then handed her a large, perfectly ripe and juicy peach... eagerly, she took it and bit in, and all was forgotten as the sweetness of the peach stole over her, and soothed away all of her hurt and anger. Jareth left her, snacking away happily on her peach, with a kiss atop her head, and in a swirl of glitter.

Months would pass before Sarah's Mother could finally get all the glitter cleared away, and in that time she could barely keep the girl in peaches, her new favourite fruit.


	3. Barn Owls are excellent listeners

**Barn Owls are excellent listeners.**

Sarah Williams felt that life, was not fair. At all.

Here she was, 12 years old, and her Father and new Step-Mother inform her she is going to be a big sister! This was disastrous! And... disgusting.

She had always hoped against hope that even though her Mom left, and started on a new life, in the theatre, that maybe someday, she would be back. Then she met Jeremy. Which still, was OK enough. Sarah got to spend a few vacations with them, going to so many wonderful plays and shows, shopping in the city, so much fun and adventure! But there was always a slow burning hope that one day, Linda Williams was going to come home.

And then her Dad met Irene. And things just went downhill from there...

Irene seemed to think that Sarah could use another mother. Now, for all the time that Jeremy had been around, he had never once tried to act like her father, or even really tried to father her at all. And that was the way she liked it. He might have put his foot down, set some rules and expected her to behave and listen, but the real parenting? Mom did that. Jeremy did not interfere. And now, Irene was stepping in and trying to mother her. Her! As if she needed a constant mother! Her Mom had been gone for about 3 years now. And to be honest, she had been somewhat drifting away long before that. And Sarah had managed just fine. Just fine.

Now Irene was butting in all the time! It was bad enough when they had been dating, but then after the wedding? Impossible! And the wedding... Sarah still resented the way Irene had insisted putting "her new daughter" into it, only to constantly be on her back for everything and then moving her out of the wedding party because it was apparently "too much" for her. She was such a bitch! Sarah started spending as much time out of the house as she could. So whenever she wasn't in school, she spent every day down in the park, it wasn't too far from the house and she could slip away easily whenever she wanted. On weekends she packed peanut butter & jelly sandwiches for herself and Merlin, and with a whole day to waste away, she would bring a book and just lose herself. But now, with the news of the new baby, Sarah was extremely agitated. She didn't know where to turn, or what to think of it all.

She saw Snowy... she had no idea if the barn owl was a boy or a girl, but she had seen it weeks ago in the park, just sitting in a tree, high up. It seemed so out of place, yet perfectly comfortable at the same time. She knew that to see an owl during the day like that was not exactly usual, but then again, she was certain that Snowy was special. It struck Sarah with its beauty and she found herself looking for it, every time she was in the park. She started talking to it. It always seemed to listen to her intently, turning its head and hooting softly. So she poured her heart out. Snowy understood. He always did. And not for the first time did she wish her owl could come to life, be her friend and be there for her. But that was silly. So instead she told it everything in her heart and in her head. And once she finished and headed home, she always felt better.

And never once did she ever notice the owl follow, and perch in the big tree outside her bedroom window.


	4. After the adventure in the Underground

**After the adventure in the Underground.**

After she defeated the Labyrinth and celebrated her success with her friends, Sarah couldn't help but puzzle over the things the Goblin King had said to her. Firstly, she was still convinced that she had somehow dreamed of him long before this night, or something of that nature. He felt so... **_familiar_**... to her. His appearance, his attitude, everything. And yet, surely, she would have remembered him?

And then there were the words themselves. After telling her over and over to say her right words and choose carefully, she wondered if he had taken his own advice when he told her that she ought to just love him, fear and obey him and he would be her slave. Wasn't that a bit... **_odd_**... for a King to say to just some little nobody? It's not like she was a royal, or something.

Sarah shook her head. She was only 15! How was she supposed to know what this man was on about? How was she supposed to know what he was saying or asking of her? And... she had to know. She had to understand it, because she had suddenly understood so much more tonight than she ever had before. Her 16th birthday was coming soon, and even though no one had said much, she now understood how important it was to move forward, to grow up. So... she had to know what he was talking about.

So she went to the mirror and hesitantly, she called to him.

There was a swirl of glitter behind her in the mirror and when she turned, there he stood.

"You have won, Miss Williams. What more do you want, Precious? I can only give so much before I have nothing left." He looked... **_hurt_**? She was floored by this revelation. "What... what did you mean? What did you mean you would be my slave if I only loved and feared and obeyed you? How is that even possible, any ways? I... I don't understand, Goblin King."

Jareth felt torn; how could he tell her he had been by her side for years now? Watching her grow and falling more and more in love with her as the days passed? She would probably be horrified. But the look on her face now... the confusion and devastation... they were much too much for him to bear. And apparently, she had forgotten the bit in the book where the King of the Goblins falls in love with the girl. He sighed. "I could show you something, Sarah. But, would you trust me?" A crystal, summoned suddenly, shimmered in his hand. He saw her watch as he rolled it around, her eyes narrowed, as if waiting to see if he was playing some sort of a trick. She took a deep breath. "Do I have your word you won't try to trick me into anything? You're just going to... show me something? And that's it?"

A single nod of his head was his only answer.

"Go ahead then, Goblin King. Show away."

Those words sealed his fate... he tossed the crystal at her...


	5. Memories

**Memories.**

A baby. Soft tufts of dark hair and greener than green eyes. Sarah realized it was herself with a sudden start. With another sudden start, she realized she was seeing this from the Goblin King's point of view... essentially, she **_was_** him! It was freaking her out a bit, but she tried to concentrate. She felt the adoring look. The certainty that there was more to her... something quite special about her. Something that needed to be protected. She felt the strong sense of duty. And... the love. But as she concentrated on it, she realized it was pure love of children, the special ones, the unwanted ones, and the ones who needed something or someone like Jareth in their corner.

She saw as he looked in from afar, he didn't know what to do with her because there were no answers where she was concerned. No obvious ones, anyways. He would not take her from her loving family. So he watched.

She saw herself at about 3. And her cousin Meghan. Sarah guessed she had to be around 19-20 months or so. She vaguely recalled that Megan and her family had come for their very first visit from Ireland and it had seemed like a long time that they had stayed. She wished away Meghan! Sarah felt horrified. How could she have done such a thing? And then the Goblin King, standing there, looking at little defiant her, and the flood of amazement and amusement that entered as he stared at her, while she waited expectantly for him to do something. And then he was cuddling her... telling her how he couldn't take her cousin. But assuring her that although he had given Meghan a toy, she would not bother with Sarah's stuff again and that one day, she would be a good friend. And then he gave her a peach.

She remembered how for months after, she couldn't get enough of peaches. She wanted them for deserts, snacks, dinner even! And she also remembered how confused her mother was about all the glitter in the playroom. And how for months she kept vacuuming it up and still find more. And she felt the adoration that had gone through Jareth when he had held her younger self. He admired how brave she had been. So certain of what she wanted. And so unafraid to go after it.

She saw how he still watched. And then she saw how he started reacting to the issue of her parents fighting. Or rather, how she reacted. And she felt his sorrow and misery.

Then she was soaring... and she realized... Snowy! He had been Snowy! He watched over her in the park, followed her home, perched in the tree outside her window and felt how his heart tugged every time she cried herself to sleep. And how he listened. Listened to her childish ranting over her step-mother. Her pleas for her mother to come home again. Her bargains for everything to go back to "normal"... even though things had been far from normal for many a year before Linda left and Irene came. She felt his enchantment with her as she read her plays... the pride at how much she could memorize and recite. The way she unabashedly dove right into everything and put her entire being into it and how he found it admirable.

He still watched. He understood her silly tantrums over Toby. How she still needed to grow up a bit, but the understanding that that, is not as easy as it's said. She gaped. She had been quite a brat. Even more than she had realized. And then, the fateful moment where she wished Toby away. His excitement to see her again. But his fear, too. He had made her forget him, but would she **_really_** not remember? And the crushing disappointment when he realized that she did indeed, forget him entirely.

She felt his pride as she faced each challenge. She felt his envy when she hugged and kissed Hoggle so freely. His desire for her in the ballroom. His wish that things could be different. His hope that when he offered her everything she would consider it. And then the heart wrenching loss as she said her final words, putting her as his equal, and rejecting him completely, finally and outright...

She felt his heart as it shattered...


	6. Aftermath

**Aftermath.**

She gasped as she came out of his memories... she had seen so much. Felt so much. It was confusing. And humbling. The King really had fallen in love with the girl, she recalled that now and to see the truth of it was staggering. But... the girl not only crushed his heart, she had stomped all over it.

Looking at him, he was trying to appear as though he was unaffected, but it wasn't quite working for him. Sarah felt for him. He had done so much and truly had asked for so little. But, she was still young. She had growing up to do. And would he wait? Wait longer for such a cruel girl as her? Because she knew then, she was falling for him. And it could grow. If it was allowed to. If **_He_** allowed it to... because she already knew she would, as long as he agreed.

"Goblin... Jareth? I..." "Please. I don't want your false pity. You asked, I showed. All can be forgotten now between us. Not... that there ever really was an us." He turned to dismiss her, and suddenly, she grew fearful. "NO!" He stopped, shocked at her outburst, and then she was hurtling into his arms. As her soft body crashed into his, he was overwhelmed. "What is the meaning of this? Precious?" She could only cry and cling to him. "I don't want to forget! Please, Jareth. Don't make me forget! Don't let me forget! Please!" As she cried and clung, she tried to project everything she was feeling, everything she had accepted, into him. Tried to make him feel as she felt.

Suddenly, she seemed to glow... and then he was hit by a powerful wave of emotions. Confusion, fear, uncertainty and mostly... love.

He stared at her... "What's going on, Jareth? What's happening?" She looked so worried, but he could only feel triumph. "When you declared yourself my equal, you declared yourself Fae. And when you admitted to your feelings and accepted them as true and right, you accepted everything I have given you. Including becoming Fae. As Champion of the Labyrinth and it's Lady, it's only right that you be one of us. And now, you will be." She felt cold shock sweep over her. "Really?" When he heard her shocked little squeak, he knew she was feeling overwhelmed. "I have long suspected you of being Daoine Maithe. It means "the good people" in Irish Gaelic. It also means "faerie". I believe you've got family in Ireland?" He felt her nod. "There is a history, I'm sure of it. But it matters not, now. You have made your choice by accepting your feelings about me. Sarah... did you know your name means Princess? And in Irish Gaelic it means brightness. You are my bright Princess. You always have been."

She was shocked. Flattered. A little concerned, too. "What does this mean? Can I... do I... will..." words seemed to fail her. "Hush, Precious. Firstly, tell me how you feel about me." His words, although given as command, held an undertone of awe... and maybe just a tiny hint of uncertainty?

"Well... I... I mean... I think..." she frowned. How was she supposed to say these things to him? But one look at his expectant face, kindness and emotion pouring out of his eyes... "I know I could love you if given enough time to get to know you better. I... I'm still young, I still have things I want to do, but I do know that I would certainly want a future with you." She blushed, she hadn't expected to ever say such things to him. "Oh my Precious Sarah! I have longed to hear those words from you... and I too, desire a future with you by my side as my Queen. And we have an eternity to get to know each other, I, of course, wish to court you... I will reorder time for you, Precious. There isn't anything I won't do for you, Sarah-mine." Crushed into Jareth's grasp, Sarah suddenly felt peaceful, and she knew... she was home.


	7. Epilogue (5 years later)

**Epilogue (5 years later).**

Things had been so crazy for awhile...

Sarah suddenly becoming Fae had been unexpected, but she had dealt with it, with some help from Jareth. Luckily, it was a gradual phasing that would complete when they fully bonded on their wedding day. Which, after their long courtship, was coming up rather quickly. She luckily was able to spend time between both worlds, Above and Below, so she had gotten all she had desired from life; a chance to complete school, to spend time with her friends and family, truly enjoying the treasures that she possessed but had always taken for granted. She had become a better sister, daughter and step-daughter. She had gone to college, majoring in Celtic Mythology. She wanted to know all of the stories of the Fae, now that she was becoming one.

Jareth had even worked out a glamour so he could visit her above-ground, and he too, got to know her family. At first, they had all seemed a bit in awe of Jareth, all except Toby who acted like he was a long-lost friend. The level of intensity of their relationship at first made her parents wary, but soon they came to see the deep bond between the two, and not much more was thought about it. When Jareth proposed, he did it twice; once amongst their beautiful labyrinth, and then for show in front of her parents at Christmas. No one seemed too surprised when she said yes.

It had been decided that since Jareth could easily reorder time, their wedding days Above and Below would be on the same day. They would start Above, with a beautiful morning wedding and luncheon that they would slip away from, and head straight to Below, where a grand Underground wedding would be held in the Goblin Castle. Sarah knew that it would go long into the night... Jareth assured her such affairs could even go for days, but they would slip away from this one too, so that they could go off on their honeymoon. The honeymoon was a secret and surprise from Jareth to her, she could only imagine what he might have concocted! And as time went on, she could only imagine what might go on... Jareth had, of lately, made no attempts to hide his excitement at finally having her... **_ALL_** of her... at long last. She was both giddy with excitement and slightly scared, but she knew that he would never truly harm her. He couldn't.

So all in all, the Goblin King truly had fallen in love with the girl, and she with him. And they would live happily ever after, forever and ever. As she stood at her favourite window seat overlooking the labyrinth, Jareth came up from behind her and slipped his arms around her, kissing her neck softly. "What are you thinking so deeply about, Precious?" "Oh, you. Me. Our future." "Ah, I see. And what do you envision, my Queen?" "Happiness. Love. So much of it, Jareth. So much." He spun her in his grasp and smiled... as his lips descended to hers, he still took the last word.

"Indeed, my Queen. Indeed."

THE END.


End file.
